A Little Light Training
by tosakuai
Summary: Kushina needs to get a workout in, but her reasons may be a little different than normal ninja training.  You've got to read it to find out why.  Just a drabble, a belated birthday story for Naruto if you will.


Right hook, left uppercut, left hook, right uppercut, right jab, left uppercut. The redhead in the center of the field was dripping with sweat as she kicked, punched, and blocked the imaginary target. Her bright red hair was tied back into a high ponytail that reached just below her buttocks, and it too was drenched with sweat, making it look much darker than its true color of a fiery red. She continued on through her routine until she allowed herself a small water break and a chance to dab her face with a towel that she had laying next to a nearby tree.

Readjusting her shirt to cover her now showing midsection, she took a deep breath to help regulate her elevated heartbeats and proceeded to work through a series of blocks. She paused in her routine to readjust her shirt again when she froze at the sound of a branch snapping. Her fine tuned hearing picked out the direction of the sound and she disappeared with speed so fast that the untrained eye would not be able to follow her movements.

Reappearing in a large oak tree, she found that whoever it was no longer there, but the trunk of the tree was still warm from where a hand had been resting on the gnarled bark only a second before her arrival. Blowing a wet strand of hair from her face that had worked its way loose from its binding during her workout; she focused all her senses in order to locate her target. She could smell the faintest hint of musk and ink and knew that he had not gone very far. She smirked at the thoughts running through her head. She recognized that scent and she knew his weakness. Feigning ignorance, she dropped out of the tree and walked back to where she had been training moments before.

The kunoichi knew that he was watching her now. A small smirk graced her lips as she returned to her training routine. The slightest shift in airflow alerted her to the other's presence and she quickly went into a offensive stance and spun around with a medium high kick, which the man was able to dodge in a flash of yellow, blue, and white. She spun with speed and accuracy, causing her hair to whip around her, the moisture from her sweat causing it to create an appearance of tendrils that resembled red tails behind her. Aiming again at her opponent, she was able to nick him with a right hook on the jaw, enough that he lost his balance. Pinning him to the forest floor, the redhead sat on his upper body, so that he could not make an escape; pinning his arms down to where he was unable to perform the seals needed if he wanted to.

"Are you like trying to scare the crap out of me and send me into labor early, Namikaze?" The redhead said to the blond figure pinned under the weight of her body.

"I could ask you the same thing, Kushina. Are you sure that you should be doing your normal training routine?" he asked as she slowly released him enough that he could sit up, rubbing the back of his head as he did so since he apparently had hit it when she landed on him.

"I got bored. What am I supposed to do? Sit around the house all day?" Kushina said as she crossed her arms over her slightly protruding abdomen. "Besides, he's only quiet when I'm active. I really don't want to have him using my bladder as a punching bag, then he stretches and kicks me in the ribs, and over here it feels like he's just got a handful of something, and I don't know what he does down here, but it really is starting to get on my nerves and I just wish there was some way to get him to cut it out without having to practically run laps to rock him to sleep," Kushina said, gesturing as she rapidly explained her dilemma caused by her unborn child.

Minato couldn't help but laugh a little at how she rambled on. It was one of the things that made her who she was, but it never ceased to amaze him how she could talk without hyperventilating. Kushina winced a little and laid an open palm on her stomach as she felt a series of kicks as if the baby was trying to prove her point. The blond looked a little worried as he watched her get up and walk over to a nearby tree so that she could sit down and rest her frame against its base. Getting up to follow her, Minato couldn't help but feel a little empathy toward his lover and best friend's situation. Their situation.

"Is he really that active? You didn't get much sleep last night either," Minato said as he sat down next to her and placed his own hand on top of hers.

Kushina nodded as she massaged another area that the baby was now assaulting. "It's like training is the only thing that keeps him calm. I don't know where he is getting all this energy from," Kushina replied.

"I have an idea," Minato said under his breath. Quickly realizing his mistake he covered by saying, "But I'm sure he won't be this active once he's born. Besides, do you really think training this hard is good for the both of you?"

"I need to train," Kushina replied, determination set in her expression. "Besides, I don't want Mikoto getting her pre-pregnancy body back before I do."

"Honey, you haven't even had the baby yet," Minato replied, trying not to laugh.

Rolling her eyes and pouting she said, "That is hardly the point."

Minato sighed and shifted so that he could sit next to Kushina and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Shina, why are you so obsessed about this? I already told you how I felt. I love you no matter what."

"Really?"

"Really. Now come on, let's go home and get some lunch."

"Do you mind if we stop by Ichiraku's? I've had this terrible craving for ramen lately that is driving me crazy. This kid of yours is even got me craving miso ramen and you know how much I can't stand miso."

"Hai, hai. Whatever you want, Uzumaki-hime," Minato said with a mock bow.

"Watch it Namikaze, or flattery will get you everywhere," Kushina said as she playfully poked him in the abs.

Minato got up and proceeded to help his wife stand before they turned to go back toward the village. Minato couldn't help think about how lucky he was to have her in his life as they walked hand in hand. He was a luck man indeed.


End file.
